Bad mental health days suck. There is no denying that. No one wants to feel rubbish all day, I know I definitely don't. We all have good days, and we all have bad days, that is just part of being human. But when you struggle with mental health problems your bad days can seem a million times worse.
These days can be really hard. They have you feeling like you want to keep up and live in a hole forever. I know this is how they make me feel most of the time. However, you can get through them. You just have to find the right strategies to cope and help you push through the hardest and darkest of times.
To deal with these bad days, it's paramount that you find a few ways which you know help boost your mood and get you out of this negative state of mind. Obviously, they are not always going to work. Life is unpredictable, and sometimes it can be really horrible. On those days no amount of funny TV or chocolate will make a difference. However, I think it's always worth having a few strategies up your sleeve if you need them. To help you find what works for you, I thought I would share with you what I do on a bad mental health day. I hope you find this useful.
Try and find the cause
Some bad mental health days won't have a cause. That's okay. There isn't always a clear reason for every low mood, panic attack or an episode of mania. Sometimes the problem is very much internal. An imbalance of hormones, chemicals or even just one of those days. But sometimes the problem can be external. Maybe you feel overwhelmed with your work, you have a lack of support from friends, or you are unhappy in your relationship. Whatever the problem is, if you can identify it and work through it, it may help you overcome this bad mental health day quicker. But remember there is no rush. Sometimes they just happen, and you have to wait for it to pass.
Take it easy
For some people, this will involve doing no work at all. For others, including myself, I need to do some work. I feel guilty if I'm not always working which is quite bad I know but at least by doing something it makes me feel better. In addition to this, it distracts me. Sometimes that's what you need. However, I would highlight that you can run away from your problems forever. Although when you are feeling particularly low or anxious, it may be best to wait till your in a better place of mind before you start tackling them.
Watch something that makes me laugh
Binge watching my favourite comedy shows never fails to make me smile and subsequently boost my mood. As they say, life is better when your laughing. My favourites include; the Big Bang theory, my family, Catherine Tate show and Friday night dinner to just name a few. Laughing releases feel-good hormones, which make you feel good. Sometimes I find that you just need a good laugh to put everything in perspective. Sure watching some good TV is not going to make everything better but it is a good distraction if you find yourself in a bad place right now.
Remind myself that everything is temporary
Happiness, sadness and every other emotion you can think of are temporary. Whatever you are feeling now you won't feel for the rest of your life. It can be hard to believe that sometimes but when you look back at your life you realise that you haven't always been sad or happy. No one is born anxious or depressed. We are all blank slates, it's our life experiences which shape us and guess what? Life is unpredictable. Once I started to realise this, I learnt that it is all going to be okay. If I find myself having a bad mental health day I try and tell myself this. It gives me the strength to carry on, no matter how much I don't think I can keep going, I know that I can if I just remember this little quote.
Talk to someone
Sometimes this needs to be a professional, at times it's a teacher, and sometimes it's a friend. Most of the time it's a friend. Normally it's via Twitter, as I only tend to seek help from my friends in college in periods of pure desperation which doesn't happen as often anymore, thank goodness. You know the saying, a problem shared is a problem halved? Well, it's true. It does me the wonders of good getting something off my chest to a trusted friend or teacher and getting a different, often better perspective on the situation.
So there we have five different ways I cope on a bad mental health day. This is just what works for me, so there is no guarantee that they will work for you but it's always worth a try.
I would love to know how you cope with bad mental health days in the comments below.
Thanks for reading, as always X
